Organizers of the Venice Film Festival waited to announce "Khastegi (Tedium)" by first-time Iranian director Bahman Motamedian until the last minute to avoid alerting authorities to its sensitive subject: transsexuals in modern-day Iran.

Excerpt: S. alleges she suffered numerous rapes at the hands of Khmer Rouge soldiers and cadres and was imprisoned several times in re-education camps as well as in prisons. She says she was threatened with death if she refused to marry a woman and the Khmer Rouge forced her to engage in sexual intercourse with her arranged wife.

Mexico City's legislature has passed a law making it easier for transsexuals and transgender people to legally change their names and obtain revised birth certificates that reflect their gender identification.

[Brasil] Trans entregam reivindicações ao ministro da SaúdeO ministro da Saúde, José Gomes Temporão, recebeu na quarta-feira, 27, um grupo de representantes do Coletivo Nacional de Transexuais para receber um documento onde elas listam as reivindicações para o segmento trans. (Foto) [New Zealand] [Blog/Commentary] Transgender discrimination in WellingtonBack in the mists of time, Labour MP Georgina Beyer introduced a Human Rights (Gender Identity) Amendment Bill to amend the Human Rights Act to outlaw discrimination against transsexuals, transvestites, transgenders, and cross-dressers. The bill was eventually withdrawn after much pressure from the government (which didn't want a repeat of the divisive civil unions debate - cowards). But as part of that process, the government produced a legal opinion [PDF] stating that discrimination on the grounds of gender identity was already covered by the existing "sex discrimination" clause.[New Zealand] Temperance locks queers out in the rainA group of 30 queers and supporters, many in drag, frocked up to The Temperance Bar on Blair Street on Saturday night, only to be denied entry before the entire group had even walked down the street. Their purpose was to create visibility and show support within Courtenay Place nightlife for those groups in society who challenge heteronormative gender roles. "We chose The Temperance bar because of reports of homophobic comments directed at drag queens earlier this month, during their forcible removal from the venue, but our main aim as a group is of course to create more freedom for all sorts of gender expression in public places," says Radical Queer Rachael Wright. [México] Discriminación permite que sociedad sea insensible a transexualidadVivimos en un país donde somos discriminadas y discriminados por todo, de manera muy natural, lo que hace que desde la familia hasta las autoridades sean insensibles al tema de la transexualidad, afirmó Irina Echeverría, durante la presentación de su libro “Carta a mi padre, testimonios de una persona transexual con discapacidad”, celebrada hace unos días en la Asamblea Legislativa del Distrito Federal (ALDF).

[Canada] Transsexual's old online ad won't derail parks board bidOne of the NPA's more colourful parks board hopefuls says an ad she posted in 2000 on a website advertising escort services won't stand in the way of her political career.Jamie Lee Hamilton told the Courier she's always been honest about admitting her work in the sex trade, and that she is not working as a paid escort while seeking a nomination for the parks board.[USA] [Blog/Commentary] The Song Remains the SameOn Tuesday I attended the HRC/Victory Fund luncheon and on Wednesday I attended the LGBT caucus at the convention center in Denver. Many stories were broke in the past few days, but one event passed by without a word. In a very consistent manner, Barney Frank again signaled that when ENDA is introduced, it will not be fully inclusive.[Blog/Commentary] We Need a Superficial Conversation About Trans-InclusionLGBT people need to put aside their differences and come together on common ground. Especially at this crucial moment in our history. How better, I ask, to achieve this goal than to engage in an inconclusive, protracted, ignorant, and superficial examination of the issue of trans-inclusion in federal and state civil rights legislation?

[NY,USA] Teacher Chooses Gender ChangeAfter getting her mail last week, Bobbi Dragt learned that one of her daughter’s teachers at Sodus High School has chosen to have a gender reassignment. And while the news was a bit shocking, Dragt says it wasn’t at all concerning." I don't think anything someone does outside of school has to do with the way they teach. "[TX, USA] [Film]A fascinating visit to the 'sex change capital of the world'Excerpt: It began when a Dr. Stanley Biber conducted the area's first genital reassignment surgery in 1969 and took off from there. In 2003, after performing almost 6,000 sex-change operations, Biber, then 80, handed over his practice to Dr. Marci Bowers. Marci used to be Mark, and she became the first transgender surgeon to perform these operations.

[TX, USA] [Film] A trend of transgender moviesDo nine transgender and intersex films make a trend? They do if they're all playing during the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, Wednesday through Sept. 7.Films about transgender characters are not as rare as you might think. A raft of contemporary features — 'The Crying Game,' 'Boys Don't Cry,' 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch,' 'Transamerica,' to name a few — dealt seriously with the issue. At least two entire film festivals — in Seattle and the Netherlands — are devoted to transgender-themed movies.

The Transgender Emergency Fund, a Central Mass.-based program that will provide critical assistance to low-income transgender or transsexual people, will begin providing financial assistance to people next month, says Jesse Pack of AIDS Project Worcester.

quinta-feira, agosto 28, 2008

[UK] [Commentary]Young transsexuals should be allowed to put puberty on holdHalting development allows teenagers time to consider their potential treatment, says Richard Green[UK] Mark Weston (1906 - ?) shot-putter and javelin throwerMary Edith Louise Weston was England's best female shot-putter 1924-1930 and the best javelin thrower in 1927.In 1936 Mary became Mark after two operations by Lennox Broster at Charing Cross Hospital. Broster said: "Mr. Mark Weston, who was always brought up as a female, is male, and should continue life as such".[France] Transsexualisme : l’art du traumatisme d’EtatVouloir changer de sexe relève d'un choix personnel, et souvent salvateur. La souffrance engendrée par le fait de ne pas se sentir dans le corps qu'il faut est importante, de nombreuses études le démontrent.Face à cela, toute personne un tant soit peu humaine se dit que de facilité le parcours pour passer d'un sexe à l'autre doit être la norme d'une société un peu évoluée.Eh bien, il n'en est rien en France, bien au contraire.[Romania] Gay online TV channel to launch in RomaniaExcerpt: The country includes sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination legislation and allows those who have undergone gender reassignment to change their identity.[Iran/Canada] Documentary Examines Iran’s ’Final Solution’ to Gay ’Problem’When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed last year that there were no homosexuals in Iran, the world reacted with skepticism. A new documentary film on how the Iranian government deals with gays might shed some light on what seems like an extraordinary claim.Photo:Iran’s ’solution’ to the gay ’problem’ is to change gay men into women (Source:BeLikeOthers.com)A documentary looks at Iran's heartbreaking "solution" to homosexuality

Filmmaker Tanaz Eshaghian has long been fascinated by gender issues, so when she read a New York Times story about how the Iranian government was dealing with homosexuality, she was completely transfixed.

[South Korea] New rape law to acknowledge Korea's male and trans victimsAn opposition MP in South Korea has proposed new legislation that would extend the definition of a rape victim to include men and transsexuals.Democratic Party Representative Choi Young-hee said that there were more than 1,000 male victims of sex crimes in 2007, up from 468 in 2004.

[CO, USA] Transgender rights protesters at Fillmore showAbout three dozen demonstrators confronted people attending a Human Rights Campaign concert at the Fillmore Auditorium Tuesday night.The protesters, from the group Bashback! Denver as well as several other groups, said the Human Rights Campaign, a liberal gay-rights group, hasn't done enough to extend those same protections to transgender individuals. The protesters chanted, "Gender is an illusion, stop trans exclusion," as several dozen police officers looked on.[DC, USA] Activists fear sex worker arrests near new condosGay and transgender activists are calling on the District government to use existing social services programs rather than a police crackdown to curtail street prostitution in the city's Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood, where transgender and gay male sex workers have plied their trade for more than 20 years.

[UK] Fly-past tribute to RAF veteranA FLY-PAST of a lone Vulcan bomber across Morecambe on Friday was a fitting tribute to a leading transgender activist, author and RAF veteran of 40 years.The life of Lynne Janine Braithwaite BEM, who died on August 12, was celebrated at a packed Lancaster Crematorium where friends and family said their farewells to a remarkable person. (Photo)

[USA]Study: Transgender vets face discriminationA new study by a California research center finds that transgender veterans — people who changed their sex after getting out of the military — believe they are facing discrimination and disrespect at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.[FL, USA] Transgendered Ex-Largo Manager Gets Divorce TermsSusan Stanton, the former Largo city manager known as Steven Stanton before a sex change, has mediated his divorce from his wife of 18 years, according to court documents.[CO, USA] Court date set in Greeley transgender murderA man accused of beating to death a transgender woman faces a preliminary hearing next month, when the prosecution' s case against him will be mapped out .Also at the Sept. 18 hearing, a decision on bail for Allen Andrade, 31, of Thornton is expected.[USA] [Blog/Commentary] Rep. Barney Frank Shifts Position on TransRepresentative Barney Frank (D-Mass.), one of two out congresspeople, recently mentioned in an interview with Mile High Political Views, an LGBT political blog, that he thinks there is a higher chance of passing a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) through a post-November congress stacked with more Democrats.

terça-feira, agosto 26, 2008

[Brasil] Roberta Close pode posar nua mais uma vezA transexual mais famosa do Brasil, Roberta Close, pode mostrar toda sua beleza desnuda mais uma vez em uma revista masculina. De acordo com entrevista do site Ego, Roberta está em negociação para posar nua novamente – ela já fez ensaios nas revistas Ele & Ela, Playboy e Sexy. (Foto)[Kuwait] Penalties against homosexuals should be stricter, says MPParliamentary Secretary-General MP Roudhan Al-Roudan has stressed the need to be strict with the homosexual community in Kuwait, particularly transsexuals who behave and dress like members of the opposite sex. The MP also asked both the National Assembly and the Cabinet to work to increase the penalties and punishments given to anyone who exhibits such behavior.[India] Man faces torture for dowry charge despite sex changeA Bihar court has framed a charge sheet alleging that a man tortured his wife for dowry before their divorce, officials said Monday. The accused then underwent a sex change operation and married a man.[New Zealand] Drag queens still banned at TemperanceA protest by 'Radical Queers' – which included over 20 drag kings and queens – was blocked from entering Wellington's Temperance bar on Saturday night, and the group is now considering further action.Three drag queens were forcibly removed from the bar earlier this month, which was seen as 'blatant homophobia'.Photo: All dressed up and nowhere to go: Wellington's 'radical' drag queens[Australia] Farewell Lil' RomeoHundreds of mourners have paid their respects to popular drag king Lil' Romeo, who was murdered in an armed hold-up at a Browns Plains adult store last month.Romeo (AKA Krissy Pye), 25, was found with multiple stab wounds when police responded to an alarm at the Everything Adult store at about 8.50pm on August 8. Romeo had started work there just a week earlier.

[FL, USA] Susan Stanton's marriage comes to an endThe Largo city manager fired after revealing plans to become a woman has ended her 18-year marriage.Susan Stanton, who served Largo for 17 years as Steve Stanton, has agreed to pay alimony and child support to her ex-wife, Donna Stanton, according to court documents filed this month.[USA] [Blog/Commentary] Scenes From the Trans StruggleSome of this is belated again, my apologies, but is important to note:1) Sweden is drafting a plan to legislate mandatory physical sterilization of transsexuals,2) The potty wars rage on in Jacksonville and Cleveland,3) Murders of transfolk continue to be regarded differently from murders of humans,4) A Kuwaiti law specifically targeting transgender people has spurred a fledgling human rights action,5) The T Job Bank <http://www.tjobbank .com/> launches, connecting trans-friendly employers with job seekers. So far, there are 12 jobs listed: let's get our GLBT and diversity allies involved![USA] [Blog/Law/Commentary] Morales v. ATP: Connecticut Federal Court Holds Gender Identity Discrimination in Violation of Title VIIThe Connecticut Law Tribune has a story on a federal lawsuit, involving the sexual harassment and termination of a transgender employee in Connecticut, which was thrown out by the court (...)[Blog/Law] Summary Judgment Granted in Transsexual Workplace Discrimination CaseExcerpt: Lessons from this case: follow HR procedures, don't give your boss a "reason" to fire you, and do not participate in silly behavior in the office--all of these things will hurt your case if you pursue a discrimination claim later.

[UK] Former trucker’s CS gas dramaA TRANSSEXUAL former trucker was sprayed with CS gas after rowing with police officers investigating a burglary.[UK] [Blog/Commentary] Because we’re disposableAnother of my sisters is dead.Another trans panic defence accepted.Another killer acquitted of murder.“Voluntary manslaughter”?Could there possibly be a more dehumanising, demeaning term?Two and a half years after her death, Alexis King is still denied dignity.

Um dos filmes-surpresa que serão exibidos na seção denominda "Horizontes", do 65º Festival de Veneza, será a produção iraniana intitulada Tedium (Khastegi), do diretor iraniano Bahman Motamedian. No próximo dia 28 de agosto, o filme será exibido para imprensa e, um dia depois, para o público do festival.[Malta] Trapped in a male body: Maxine about her life as a transsexualMaxine's dream is to have a complete sex change so that one day she starts living her life as a woman, the way she felt since she was born. (Photo)[Bulgaria] Bulgaria Police Arrest Seven Transsexual Prostitutes in Downtown SofiaThe Sofia Police arrested Friday 21 prostitutes at the Macedonia Square in downtown Sofia including seven transsexuals.[Kuwait] ''Transsexuality not criminal felony,'' declares Arab Human Rights chairwomanChairwoman of the Arab Committee for Human Rights Violette Dagher has sent a letter to National Assembly President Jassem Al-Khorafi and MP Mohammed Haif Al-Mutairi requesting them to "review the law pertinent to transexuality and the introduction of laws which may modify the existing criminal laws."[Kuwait] Transsexuals meet with MPs over new lawA number of local transsexuals met on Wednesday with several MPs, handing the parliamentarians a petition asking them to support cross-dressers because they suffer from an illness, reported Al Watan. The letter complained that recently-introduced legislation did not take transsexuals' psychological and physical circumstances into consideration.[India] Carriers of HIV epidemic ignored in IndiaTransgenders and the kinnars have got little attention from the government when it comes to formulating health policy in spite they being most susceptible to the threat of HIV/AIDS, even more than the sex workers.[Argentina] Un negocio de Paraná busca una travesti como vendedoraGeneralmente condenadas a la marginalidad y a la prostitución, no es frecuente que las personas transexuales tengan posibilidades de conseguir un empleo formal • Pero en Paraná, Entre Ríos, un local de ropa lo pone como requisito excluyente para ocupar un puesto.[Colombia] El Senado colombiano discute sobre violencia por identidad de género y orientación sexualPor iniciativa de la senadora Gloría Inés Ramírez del Polo Democrático Alternativo y el apoyo de organizaciones LGTB colombianas como el Colectivo León Zuleta y de organizaciones sociales que convocan al Tribunal Internacional de Opinión «Violaciones de DDHH en Colombia, un Crimen de Estado», se ha convocado en el Salón Elíptico del Congreso de la República el próximo 22 de agosto entre 9:00 y 12:00 m., a una Audiencia Pública sobre «La violencia por identidad de genero y orientación sexual», en la que se expondrá, desde distintas perspectivas, la situación de derechos humanos de las personas LGTB colombianas.[AZ,USA] Family says it has some closure in murder of Amancio CorralesWhen they left the courtroom, the eyes of parents Amancio and Maribel Corrales were still red from the tears they had cried during Thursday's sentencing of the man who killed their son.[USA] Study states 10 percent of trans vets turned away from VA hospitalsAn interesting study released today by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, shows that transgender veterans face being turned away by Veterans Administration hospitals and medical facilities as well as facing other forms of discrimination.

[MD, USA] [Blog/Commentary] The Blurred Lines of GenderThe Washington Post has a long and interesting story this morning about Stella Walsh, a Polish-American Olympic athlete who set or matched the world record in the 100 meter dash six times. Upon her death, according to this story, there was a controversy: (...)

[DC, USA] District Briefing (Testimony Ends in Transsexual Bias Suit)A federal judge yesterday concluded a four-day bench trial in a lawsuit brought by a former Special Forces commander who lost a job offer as a terrorism research analyst at the Library of Congress because he disclosed he was undergoing the medical process of becoming a woman.[USA] Perhaps New America's First Transgender 'Top Model'Tyra Banks' show "America's Next Top Model" will introduce Isis, its first transgender contestant, on September 3.[TN,USA] JC Female Impersonator Alleges Gay Bashing AssaultA Johnson City female impersonator speaks out for the first time since allegedly being assaulted Wednesday morning.Angel Renee Rose agreed to be interviewed, but asked to use her stage name for security reasons. (Vídeo)[MD, USA] [Blog/Commentary] Guest Blog: Living with Discrimination as a Transgender WomanMy name is Maryanne Arnow, a transgender woman, native Marylander, and Montgomery County Resident of more than 35 years, openly living in mainstream public society.In the last year, I've had to face distinct increases in discrimination and denigration from the general public in the normal course of my daily life. This is occurring directly as a result of a local campaign from conservative groups that continually foster unwarranted fears, stereotypical misrepresentations, and highly negative references to transgender people, in the public eye of perception.[PA, USA] Shooter of trans woman convicted of voluntary manslaughterA Philadelphia judge has acquitted the killer of a trans woman of murder charges, despite an impassioned plea by the prosecutor that malice was behind the shooting.[USA] Liz Eden (1945 - 1986) and John WojtowiczErnest Aron was born in Queens, New York. As Liz Eden she at one time lived in the same rooming house as Holly Woodlawn. John Wojtowicz, a New Yorker, had a first marriage to Carmen Bifulco from 1967-9. They had two children. He met Liz at a an Italian feast, and married her in a Catholic ceremony in December 1971.Wojtowicz attempted to rob a Chase Manhattan Bank branch at 450 Ave P, Brooklyn, NY, on August 22, 1972. Wojtowicz held the bank employees hostage, and gave his reason as paying for his lover's sex change.[USA] [PR/Health/Medicine] Researchers define characteristics, treatment options for XXYY syndromeResearchers at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute and The Children's Hospital in Denver have conducted the largest study to date describing the medical and psychological characteristics of a rare genetic disorder in which males have two "X" and two "Y" chromosomes, rather than the normal one of each. The study, published in the June 15 issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, also offers treatment recommendations for men and boys with the disorder.

[USA] [Television] [Video Preview]The Oprah Winfrey Show - Friday, 8/22Transgender individuals with the courage to say, This is who I am.What happens in one family when Dad becomes a woman? The new American family Oprah wanted to meet.

A row has erupted over a transgender woman who has apparently been snubbed by the organisers of the Miss South Africa pageant.

The transgender woman, Lindiwe Ringane, reportedly wanted to enrol in a workshop for potential participants but was made to feel unwelcome by the organisers, Sun International, reported Beeld, an Afrikaans daily newspaper.

In response to Human Rights Campaign's stance on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), the activist group Queertoday.com, along with activists from Queers Without Borders, Pride at Work and KnowThyNeighbor. org are organizing a protest of the organization' s New England gala dinner, which will be held at the Sheraton in Boston on October 25th.

"Military colleagues [and] family have all been tremendously supportive," decorated veteran Diane Schroer said. "My country, which I served honorably for 25 years, has not been as tolerant or accepting."

quinta-feira, agosto 21, 2008

[Europe]Transgender Europe (TGEU) - Training for our Future

Hi friends. Transgender Europe is looking for a few young (at least in heart) trans people to take a leading role in activism in their own country. Are you fed up with a lack of support from your government? Fed up with missing or old-fashioned legislation? Are you tired of being forced to live in the closet? Or of living a dog's life? Forced out of work? Living a life on the street because you dare to be who you are? Yes? Maybe it is time to take action, and we want to help you.

Transgender Europe (TGEU) www.tgeu.org, with the support of the UK's extremely successful activist organisation, Press for Change (PFC) www.pfc.org.uk and the International Lesbian and Gay Association of Europe (ILGA-Europe) www.ilga-europe.org , is now taking applications for a training project aimed at giving new activists the tools and support they need to get out and work change in their communities.

National teams, comprised of three activist candidates are invited to submit applications for the project. Just four (4) of these teams will be successful and asked to take part in the project at no cost to themselves.

The project has two parts:

1. You will be required to attend a four day training course in Manchester, UK, from Wednesday, October 1st, to Sunday, October 5th, 2008. There you will attend workshops and receive some formal training in, amongst other things, the following areas:

-- How to work with local and national governments as well as the European Union,-- The impact of European Union law, cases and directives on trans lives,-- The trans cases from the European Court of Human Rights,-- Facts and figures: key research data on trans lives,-- Practical activism: developing a public relations approach,-- Recruiting other activists and developing their skills,-- Strategic planning for successful change,-- Design with impact: posters and leaflets for key issues,-- Working within the international LGBTI community.

2. The activists will then, with the help of TGEU, organise a local training to take place not later than the end of 2008. The training from Manchester will be put to use at a national or regional event of one or two days duration, where an audience of potential trans activists will receive instruction to facilitate regional structures. We envision that the support we provide will enable you to prepare basic materials in your national language, to find an appropriate site for quality training and workshops, to make reservations for TGEU and PFC workshop leaders, to find and engage national NGO or government speakers. We will assist your team in creating publicity and locating the intended audience. Furthermore we will assist in the long term development of transgender organisations.Your travel and accommodation costs will be met by TGEU. Training and activities are also free. We demand only your presence and unmitigated attention. You don't have to pay a thing: you need only put your training to use through your own projects in your local community.

So, if you think you and your fellow activists are up to it, come join the party. It will be well worth your time -- and may well be fun!

For these reasons we require that TEAMS OF THREE activists submit their applications together. Successful candidates will be selected by showing us evidence of their past activism, how well they know each other and the work they've done together before. The teams will need to show a reasonable level of English language – it will really help to speak some English, but teams can translate for members who can't speak English.

To Apply:

Complete the application form which you can obtain from Jane Thomas at jthomas@tgeu.org.Attach an accompanying letter saying why your team should be chosen from the many teams applying.These are to be completed and returned to jthomas@tgeu.org by MONDAY, September 8th, 2008.

[UK] Sex change claimsA PRE-OP transsexual claims her career has been "destroyed" since she announced she wanted to become a woman.Sophie Morris, 40, alleges she was sacked from her £23,000 job at the JTEKT factory in Resolven after she changed her gender from male to female.[UK] Largest ever police contingent to march for gay prideThe world's largest ever police contingent to take part in a gay pride parade will be seen this Saturday during Manchester Pride. Up to 300 officers and staff from forces across the country will lead the parade as Pride celebrates its 18th birthday.

[OH,USA]Man pleads guilty, but denies killingExcerpt: Brian McGlothin, dressed in women's clothes, was shot in the head with an automatic rifle two days before Christmas. His body was found in the rear yard of a house in the 2700 block of Ruberg Avenue.

[USA] [Blog/Commentary] Blinded Me with Science: Devolution of the DSMAt the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Robert Spitzer, Chair of the DSM-III and DSM-IIIR Task Forces, defended the categories of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and paraphilias such as Transvestic Fetishism (TF) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) [1]. He declared the inherent pathology of gender identities that vary from assigned birth sex (...)

Sex-change operations can now be made for free in Brazil, courtesy of the Brazilian federal government SUS (Unified Health System). The decision that these operations should be done for free was taken a year ago by a Federal judge. The government never appealed the decision despite protests by religious groups.

On July 23 the Colorado Anti-Violence Program held a rally in Greeley for Angie Zapata, a Latina transwoman who was murdered on July 17. CAVP is an organization "dedicated to eliminating violence within and against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities in Colorado."

Excerpt: In other words, a mental illness listing of trans people will probably remain on the books until at least 2020, with a projected DSM-VI probably not until at least 2030. We will be faced with one to two decades of mental illness diagnoses before the issue will be reconsidered, unless we take a stand now.

The organisers of the annual Miss South Africa pageant have been in crisis the past week, after a woman who had had a sex-change operation wanted to enrol in a workshop for prospective participants, and encountered a very chilly welcome.

After return from International AIDS conference (held in Mexico City) in the capacity of Jury of the prestigious Red Ribbon Award, noted physician and Medical Director of International Health Organization, Dr Diwakar Tejaswi, at a press conference held at the Windsor Hotel, Exhibition Road in Patna on Sunday, said that the transgender community was found to be at excessive risk of acquiring HIV AIDS.

Excerpt: Atwood is not a freak -- nor is she half-man, half-woman. But her DNA says she's a man. That's because she has male chromosomes, an X and a Y, instead of two Xs, like most females. It's a disorder of sexual development in the womb called Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, or AIS. It can be passed down through the mother or occur as a spontaneous mutation.

Thanks to constituents sharing their concerns with Fox News, on August 15 America's Newsroom host Gregg Jarrett apologized on the air for comments made about a transgender contestant on the upcoming season of America's Next Top Model: "This time yesterday we aired a segment about a transgender by the name of Isis, who will compete in the upcoming season of the television show America's Next Top Model. The group GLAAD, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation sent us an email saying it was offensive. That was not our intention. We apologize." This segment can be viewed on YouTube <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSOJZn9uMqE> .

segunda-feira, agosto 18, 2008

Hormonal treatment of transsexual teenagers is controversial. Whereas in the UK teens must experience most pubertal body changes before any medical intervention, usually at 16, in some countries, including the US, Canada, and the Netherlands, the earliest signs of puberty are blocked and then cross-sex hormones administered.

The American Psychological Association urged psychologists today to take a leading role in ending discrimination based on gender identity, calling upon the profession to provide "appropriate, nondiscriminatory treatment to all transgender and gender-variant individuals" and encouraging more research into all aspects of gender identity and expression.

Just when you think you've got the mystery of sex and gender all figured out, a new study or a book comes along that throws a monkey wrench into the equation, and you've got to start all over again. Deborah Rudacille's book The Riddle of Gender does exactly that. Rudacille was inspired to write the book when her friend told her that he wanted to transition from female to male. Rudacille didn't know very much about what transgender meant, but she wanted to support her friend. So she started to interview everyone she could in order to better understand what her friend was going through.

Across The Pond, they've had their own high profile transgender murder trial going on. Unfortunately the results are depressingly familiar to those of us who are transgender, a transperson of color and live on this side of the Atlantic.